Never heard of it? Go here...hypermiling.com or here... Ultimate Guide to Hypermiling.

 

Might as well drive a SmartCar. MINIs were made for fun which is counter Hypermiling IMO. Besides tailgating with your engine turned off for drafting would save countless gallons of gas because you would die and never have to buy gasoline again.

 

LOL... The beginning of an interesting discussion.

I think some of the tips are worthwhile... though I've no plans to take it to extremes.

 

Buy a scooter.

 

+0.25 for
- 2.00 against

 

A lot of the extreme hypermiling tips are just too dangerous. I'm all for saving fuel in reasonable manner, but it's simply not safe, nor good for the vehicle to shut the engine off while driving or to tailgate to the extremes they recommend. I do however like the idea of taking off-ramps as quickly as possible so you don't waste gas accelerating again.

 

Ohhhhh.... I'm a greenie and I didn't even know it.

 

If we all just refuse to stop at stop lights, think of all the potential savings!

 

Braking? I watched the video from CNN...gosh, I didn't realize we're supposed to brake when making turns!?! Guess I'm a greenie without realizing it, too!!!

 

I am interested in this concept. You do not have to take it to the limit. I have been doing a lot of these basic guides for years, but have started to really pay attention to my driving in the past 6 months. I drive in the city and get 30 mpg. In the Highway, driving at the speed limit, I can get in the 40s. Notice that I have a MINI S. I have seriously considered bypassing the super charger 100% of the time. Granted, the supercharger still spins because it drives the water pump, but you get a lot of improvement in the MPG department. The MINI is not very aerodynamic, so there is very little room for improvement in that area.

Bomboasy

 

A lot of that "hypermilling" is mostly common sense (except for Drafting which is stupidity). I often run into the bridge being raised for a boat to pass through and the wait is between 5 and 10 minutes (multiple ships at times). I see 90% of the vehicles around me (including gasholes...I mean SUVs) with their motors running. If I really wanted to save money on gas, I'd take the bus (which is what I started doing this week).

 

Buy a Cooper and put a nose on it.

 

IMHO a cabrio is the best car for hypermiling. All you need to do is stop the top about half way up and let the wind push you along. Who needs gas when you can road sail.

Happy Motoring,
Jack

 

LOL
There's driving for maximum economy, and then there's stupidity. YMMV.

 

LOL, who brakes when taking a turn???

 

I hear MINI might be offering a Flintstone Package next year that can potentially save tons of gas, though your speed will be limited based on the number of occupants in the vehicle.

 

Drafting: This technique comes with a warning sign: according to many hypermiling experts, it is incredibly dangerous. A “deliberate form of tailgating,” the forced auto stop involves turning off your car’s engine and then following closely behind the vehicle in front of you “in order to take advantage of the reduced wind resistance in [the other car's] immediate wake.”

I'm not even sure where to begin with this stupid recommendation. Drafting behind a vehicle obviously saves gas.... however, it is incredibly stupid and unsafe and this piece of advice even suggests turning off the engine.




Don’t leave the car running: It may seem like a good idea to let your car idle while you dash into the store to grab the milk or drop off a rented movie, but doing so wastes gas. Take the extra few seconds to pull into a real parking spot and turn the car off first.

The rule of thumb is it takes more gas to start an engine than what it takes to leave it running for a moment or two. If you're just dropping off a dvd rental, I think it will cost more to start your car back up than the second it'll take to run up and drop it off.



Tire Balance: If your tires aren’t balanced correctly, you could end up wearing out certain tires faster than others, causing them to lose air and forcing your engine to work harder. Get a check-up for your tires if you think yours are out of whack.


Just how much "wear" would have to happen to lose air???? If they're so worn, they lose air, they have a hole in them STUPID....!



I know these are just suggestions and you get to pick and chose but really... some of them are just stupid.

Mark

 

The rule of thumb on restarting an engine taking a bunch of gas is bunk in the modern age of computerized fuel injection. Shutting an engine off for a 1/2 minute stoplight (or while running in to return a DVD) will definitely save gas compared to leaving it running. The problem is, like the other suggestions, doing this without your brain engaged. It does take a second or two to START an engine - so the driver must PAY ATTENTION! Shutting off at a stoplight means watching the opposing light and restarting before the light turns green - or leaving the car running if some movement is required while the light is red (say, if the person in front of you is turning right on red). Drafting very close with the engine off is definitely really stupid - but drafting 1.5-2 seconds off a tractor trailer will still save a decent amount of gas (try it sometime) without being unsafe - as long as the Driver can SEE YOU. Make sure he's got you in his mirrors, and don't suck bumper.

Voltaire: "The problem with common sense is that it is not so common"
(often misattributed to originating with Horace Greeley)

 

I'll take the minimal fuel loss versus the increased stress on the starter, battery, and alternator.

 

I have no qualms with hypermiling, but if you "accelerate slowly" in front of me in traffic, you'll have to live with my cussing and honking at you. Safety first, hypermile later

 

I remember coming back from Tail of the Dragon at 1am at 37 degrees outside wearing a pair of jeans and perforated racing jacket on my sportbike. After being on the bike for 12 hours and never actually making it to the Dragon, needless to say, I was tired, sore and FREEZING.

A semi passed me, got in front of me and slowed down. He then motioned for me to get behind him.

Okaaaay.... so I did. He started to speed up and then I knew what he was doing. We were running about 90-95 down I-40 and I literally wasn't touching the gas. The vacuum was almost enough to pull me along. It was so much warmer...lol.

For those that don't ride motorcycles, riding behind a semi SUCKS unless you are literally a bike length or two away. Any more than that and the vacuum ends and the blowing around begins.... it will literally toss you around like a rag doll.

Mark

 

Yeah.... many, many moons ago when I was 130 pounds lighter and a competitive cyclist, me and my training partner used to draft behind semi's at 60mph like on the movie Breaking Away.... not smart, but fun... and I was bulletproof back then...

 

Car & Driver had an article years back about some high mpg competition they entered using a stock vehicle. They used a van or Excursion as a lead vehicle, opened both back doors and had a spotter with a radio sitting in the back. The driver in the car was driving within a foot (shaky memory here) of the lead vehicle with the spotter telling the driver how close or far he was. They got phenomenal mileage of course.

Somehow I don't think the fuel savings will offset the tickets received though if you tried it in the real world.

At work we have a "no idle" policy. Catch a train? Kill it. If you are on the yard and not moving, kill it. We go through starters like crazy but the fuel savings must be worth it.

edit:
I would have to add that when driving in traffic, look waaay down the road or at least as far as you can in a small car. I watch people driving and many of them look no further than two seconds down the road. They are constantly on the brakes and gas and switching lanes. Stop and go, this doesn't apply, but when traffic is moving - get your eyes up ahead of you.

 

Must of been Maaaaannnnny moons ago.





Race motorcycles on a track and you'll learn this reaaal fast.

 

Yep... about 312 moons, give or take, if my math is good.